


A Mongrel's Pack

by magebird



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Pack Dynamics, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-08-24 10:35:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8369029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magebird/pseuds/magebird
Summary: Jesse is snatched from the Deadlock Pack and thrown in with a new one.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to froggyflan and PinkRambo for beta work and to Poppy for being an enabler of the highest caliber. :')

Pain jolted through Jesse's leg with every shaky step, but he didn't dare slow down. He'd busted his hip flinging himself out of the top bunk, and in the wild scramble out of the house, he'd pulled it even more. It wasn't too bad, all things considered, but it slowed him as he stumbled over the uneven ground out past the farmhouse. 

A snarl ripped through the air behind Jesse, followed by a yelp, and he froze. Most of the others had already taken to their fur, though in his panic Jesse hadn't found a moment to transform yet. The moon was bright above, and Jesse closed his eyes for a second, summoning the other form his body knew. 

A thick brown pelt rippled along his spine, spreading down as limbs rearranged and his body changed. It didn't hurt, and as soon as his eyes transformed, the dark receded and the sparse woods came into bright focus. He shuddered back into motion, four-legged instead of two, and his pointed ears swiveled to pick up the sounds of others in the forest. 

He had to flee. The alpha had been out with her hunters tracking down food when the attack had come, and the ragtag remainders of the pack weren't capable of defending the territory. Jesse knew there were a few besides himself who could put up a fight, but most who'd been left behind were sick or injured.

A low growl made Jesse skid to a stop and he saw a sleek shape emerge from behind a tree ahead, eyes glinting in the moonlight. She wasn't a big wolf, perhaps a shoulder shorter than Jesse, but there was something about her that made his ears flatten to his skull. Going head to head with another wolf was not part of his escape plan, and the attack had been coordinated enough that Jesse didn't doubt she'd have backup. 

The wolf in front of him snarled again, showing wet teeth, and Jesse turned, launching himself away and back towards the house. Maybe he could circle around over the stream and find another way out. She didn't follow after him, but he kept his ears angled back anyway, listening for pursuit. 

As he drew closer to the house, he could hear the sounds of fighting. He ducked around a tree just in time to see a massive silver wolf bounding towards Jesse's packmate, who was cowering against the side of the building. A shape that mangy could only be Domingo, and the instinct to rush in to his aid fought with Jesse's terror at the sheer size of the wolf. Before he could make a decision, the thud of paws pounding from another direction made Jesse turn, and he had only a second to brace himself before a dark wolf slammed into his side, sending him tumbling head-over-heel.

He ended up sprawled on his side, hip throbbing in renewed pain, and a large black wolf with golden eyes stalked forward to stand above him, teeth bared. From his bulk, Jesse knew his human form would be just as imposing as his fur, and he ducked his head, trying to keep his throat close to the ground so the black wolf wouldn't go for it. Behind them, Domingo was yelping in terror or pain, but Jesse couldn't look away from those yellow eyes. 

The black wolf took a step closer, growling, and Jesse's heart sped up. He couldn't fight him, not injured and alone, but the wolf hadn't killed him yet. If he'd wanted to, he would have made his move. 

Jesse whined softly, trying to get his legs under him, but a snarl and a snap made him freeze. His tail was tucked between his legs, and a second later Jesse gave in, rolling to his side and showing his belly, hoping that the black wolf wouldn't immediately lunge. 

He came closer, still growling, and Jesse drew his paws up towards his chest, ready to kick out if the black wolf tried to kill him. Jesse's tongue flicked out to lick at his muzzle, and when the black wolf was close enough he nervously extended his neck to lick at his jaw instead, trying to communicate with every fiber that he wasn't going to fight back, that he was submitting. 

The black wolf seemed satisfied at that. He planted his feet, his tail raised and confident, and glanced away from Jesse for the first time. Behind him, Jesse could see Domingo cowering from the big silver wolf, and beyond them a dozen or so other wolves he didn't recognize were herding in the rest of the Deadlock pack.

As they gathered towards the wall of the house, the black wolf standing over Jesse growled at him softly, sending him scrambling to his feet to join the others. They kept their heads low and tails tucked as they milled around. Jesse could see that a few were sporting minor bites, but as far as he could tell everyone was there, scared but relatively unharmed.

The massive silver wolf stood guard over them as the attacking pack gathered. Jesse saw the grey female wolf from the woods trot over to the silver, bumping her head against him in greeting before taking a place helping to keep watch. When he turned, Jesse saw that one of his eyes was ruined, scarred and cloudy. Even so, his power and authority radiated off him clearly. The black wolf seemed to be the alpha, though, as he circled and checked on his packmates.

From the edge of the woods, there was suddenly a howl. Every wolf in Deadlock turned to look, ears pricked. They knew the sound of their alpha's call, and the few who had been lying down got to their feet again. The hunters were returning, but Jesse felt fear clench in his chest. They wouldn't be able to take down the pack who'd swept in. The attackers were too strong, too well organized, and that silver wolf could tear through even the strongest hunter like tissue if he got the right bite.

Of course, all that Cynthia, the Deadlock alpha, knew was that she needed to defend her territory. She led the charge in, her long legs eating up the ground, with her four hunters behind her.

The black wolf's pack angled in to meet the charge with a speed that told Jesse they'd practiced it. The silver wolf took the lead, setting his feet and turning his body to be something of a physical shield for the rest of the pack. A few of that pack took over guarding the Deadlock wolves, and though Jesse knew a coordinated attack could overwhelm them, he doubted that any of his pack would be able to pull that together. 

Cynthia launched herself directly at the silver wolf, her jaws wide to go for his throat. Before she could make contact, though, the black wolf seemed to materialize from the shadows, slamming into her side just as he'd done to Jesse. She hit the ground hard, legs scrambling for purchase, but the black wolf was on her again before she could rise. Cynthia snarled, snapping and kicking out, but the black wolf was stronger and quicker, diving in towards her throat.

The hunters were trying to rush in to help her, but the silver wolf was in their way, growling and lunging. The rest of the pack were darting in and back behind the silver, trusting him entirely to watch their backs as they harassed the Deadlock hunters.

Jesse hoped Cynthia would just give in and bare her belly. The black wolf wasn't going in for the kill, he was just holding her down, and the blood that was staining her fur now was from her own struggling against his teeth. The cowed Deadlock wolves shifted uneasily as their alpha yelped and snarled, thrashing in vain. 

The hunters had all but given up, snapping and growling but mostly subdued by the black wolf's fighters. Cynthia was still trying to break free, despite the obvious fact that the black wolf was in control. Her struggling got a little less forceful after another minute, though, as the black wolf tightened his jaws and put more pressure on her windpipe. He was on top of her, shoving her down into the dirt, and finally she went still, her ears flattened back and the whites of her eyes visible even as far away as Jesse was.

The hunters were herded in with the others of Deadlock while the black wolf stood guard over their alpha, snarling if she so much as twitched. The light of the moon reflected off her blood on his jaws, but the wound wasn't serious enough that she'd bleed out.

Jesse milled around with the other wolves until one of the attacking wolves shifted back into her human form and started snapping at them to do the same. She had been the grey wolf who'd turned Jesse back in the woods and in her human form she was a short woman with long black hair tied back in a braid and a personality powerful enough to demand obedience even without fangs.

Sitting on the ground in his pajamas, Jesse was shivering despite the mild temperature. The black wolf had stayed in his fur, but the rest of the pack had transformed back. Silver had become an equally massive man with light skin, broad hands, and a booming voice. He issued instructions to some of the pack who seemed to be under his authority.

Cynthia had been bandaged up and handcuffed and she sat glowering on the ground, still being guarded by the black wolf. His pack was going around locking handcuffs onto the wrists of everyone else in Deadlock, and when they got to Jesse he didn't argue. Whoever this pack was, they'd come prepared. 

"On your feet," came Silver's voice. The Deadlock pack shuffled up to stand in a loose clump, though Cynthia stayed where she was on the ground. The black wolf stepped forward, then rose up as he transformed. He was dressed in black, a few faint scars across the brown skin of his face. His hair was shaved short, though there was stubble on his chin that made Jesse wonder when he'd last been able to rest. 

"Listen up!" he shouted, his voice carrying easily over the silent crowd in front of him. "I'm Gabriel Reyes, alpha of the Blackwatch pack. I'm disbanding the Deadlock pack as of now under the authority of Jack Morrison. You all know who he is."

Jesse did know. The territory that Deadlock had inhabited for the last few years had recently been claimed by a man who was supposedly uniting wolf packs in the area under his command. Those who were willing to work with him were allowed relative autonomy, but when a representative had come to Deadlock to offer them a place among the other packs, Cynthia had laughed in his face and sent him home missing a hand. 

It wasn't an unprecedented move to establish authority over several packs at once, but from what Jesse had heard, Morrison was gaining enough power that it was making people uncomfortable. And, judging by this Blackwatch pack, the packs he was taking in weren't just motley collections of unwanted wolves, either. 

"Where are we supposed to go?!" came Domingo's voice from behind Jesse. 

"Don't know, don't care. If we find you in our territory again, you won't get a second chance. We'll take you to the edge and let you go. If you want to apply for entry into a pack in the territory, that's your call, but I sure as hell know you won't be welcome in Blackwatch." Reyes nodded towards Silver. "Wilhelm, they're all yours."

The big man nodded, then pointed towards the woods. "March. We have a truck at the road and if any of you try to make a run for it, Ms Amari will take you down before you get ten paces."

The woman with the braid smirked at that. Two of the other Blackwatch pack members went over to Cynthia, dragging her up to her feet and goading her into motion. The rest of Deadlock started walking, escorted by a couple more of Blackwatch. 

As Jesse walked, he kept his head down and his shoulders hunched. He didn't know where he was supposed to go from here. He supposed he could follow Cynthia wherever she ended up, but she'd never felt much more than disdain for him and he doubted he'd be welcome. Besides, without territory to control and having suffered such a complete defeat, it seemed unlikely she would retain the authority of an alpha for long. Even if Blackwatch hadn't killed her, any of her former subordinates might in order to establish their own pack. Allying himself to her would be a death sentence for Jesse, too. 

"Hold it, mutt," said a voice close to Jesse's shoulder. He'd been shuffling past Reyes, and a hand on his arm made him flinch away. He turned his face, but kept his eyes downcast. "How old are you?"

"Uh..." Jesse hesitated. He knew he was the youngest in the pack by several years, but it had been awhile since he'd kept track of his exact age. How many winters had passed? Four? Five? He'd celebrated being twelve with his mother a few months before she'd died, he remembered that. "Seventeen, alpha."

The man's mouth twitched at the title, but his brow remained furrowed. "You're a kid. What are you doing running with these _perro sucios_?"

"They're my pack," Jesse said, bristling a little at hearing them called filthy dogs. 

"Not anymore," Reyes said, grabbing Jesse by the arm and dragging him away from the rest of the group. His packmates turned, slowing to look. Reyes frowned. "Keep walking!"

"Where are you taking him?" Cynthia called out, digging in her heels and twisting in the arms of her escorts. "What the fuck? Did he bring you here?" Her face twisted in rage. "Traitor! Should never have trusted you!"

"I didn't--!" Jesse protested, but Cynthia spat towards him, the gob bloody from her lips. 

"I'll get you back for this, McCree! Just you fuckin' wait!" she yelled before her captors forced her to start moving her legs again or hit the ground.

The scorn of an alpha, even a disgraced one, made Jesse shrink slightly. He knew he'd done nothing to bring this about, but that hadn't stopped Cynthia from ordering him punished before. 

"Crazy," Reyes muttered to himself, shaking his head. Then, he turned to Jesse with a raised eyebrow. "So, McCree? Got a first name, puppy?"

Jesse's eyes flicked up for a second, then he averted his gaze again. "Jesse."

"Jesse McCree. Okay, _chucho_ , you're coming with us." Reyes turned away, lifting a hand and calling loudly. "Reinhardt!"

Willhelm, who was at the head of the pack, looked back, then started towards them. 

"What is it, Gabriel?" he asked when he was closing enough, mild concern in his voice. His eye fell on Jesse. "Who's this?"

"A kid who was running with Deadlock. He's too young to be dumped outside our territory without being looked after." Jesse wanted to butt in and argue that he could look after himself, but it didn't seem wise to interrupt an alpha talking to someone who, even if he wasn't an alpha himself, clearly held high status. So he stayed silent as Reyes went on. "Will you take him? You're good with kids."

Wilhelm scratched his chin, eyeing Jesse dubiously. "I don't have much of a pack left, Gabriel. I don't know what you expect me to do with the boy."

"Just look after him for a little while. We'll find him somewhere to settle, but I don't want him to be left alone." Reyes crossed his arms, looking up at the bigger man with a slight grimace. "He's only 17 and he's been running with this lot."

Sighing, Wilhelm nodded. "Fine, I'll take him, but you need to run this by Jack, too."

"Of course. He's the boss." Reyes offered a crooked smile, then turned his attention back to Jesse. "Listen up, _chucho_. Reinhardt's your alpha now. You go to him if you have problems and he'll sort you out. If you give him any trouble, you'll be seeing my teeth."

Jesse swallowed hard, but nodded. The pack bond would take awhile to kick in, but he knew that Wilhelm didn't need that to enforce his will. Hell, he could probably throw Jesse around as a human just as easily as in his fur. 

Besides, agreeing now would give him a chance to run later when they had their guard down.

The journey out to the truck was a slow trek and took nearly an hour through the woods before they reached the main road. It was just a big white van, and the Deadlock pack members were loaded in with hands still bound-- all except Jesse of course. He stayed behind Wilhelm, his new alpha, and tried to remain unnoticed. 

The woman with the braid-- Amari, she'd been called-- climbed into the passenger seat of the van. A few others from Deadlock went with her, most in the back to keep peace, and the van started off across the asphalt. 

Jesse watched his pack be taken away with a twist of terror. He'd been handed over to a man whose personality Jesse didn't know at all. At least with Cynthia, her mercurial moods and sporadic cruelty were familiar. Stealing a glance up at his new alpha, Jesse wondered if this Wilhelm would be equally power-hungry and paranoid. 

The big man caught him staring and gave a sharp laugh. "Alright, little one. You need those cuffs off, don't you? I'm not going to keep you bound if you're one of mine!"

He gestured to woman who had gone around with the cuffs earlier and she came over with a key. 

"Are you sure about this, Reinhardt?" she asked, unlocking Jesse's cuffs and pulling them from his wrists. "Can we trust him?"

"Don't worry, my friend," Wilhelm said, clapping her on the shoulder and nearly buckling her knees. "I doubt the boy will be able to do much harm."

Jesse bit back a retort. Let the alpha think he was a harmless child. It would make it easier to escape when the opportunity arose. 

Several cars arrived for the Blackwatch pack not long after that. Jesse was crammed into the middle seat of an SUV that smelled of wet fur and they took off, heading west and deeper into Jack Morrison's territory. Deadlock had been on the fringes, and Jesse had never ventured particularly far from wherever they were squatting at the time.

He watched the trees flick by the window, the moon visible above their tops. Wherever they were going, Jesse knew there was no returning to where he'd been. His pack was gone and he was expected to accept it and move on. 

The car was noisy enough with the chatter of the Blackwatch pack that Jesse knew the shakiness of his breath would not be noticed. He closed his eyes, swallowing hard, and waited for what would come next.


	2. Chapter 2

The Blackwatch pack lived in a big, loosely clustered compound that bordered the same forest that Deadlock had been hiding in. The buildings all had running water and working electricity, and as Jesse was shuffled into one marked with a big red cross painted on the side, he was amazed at how clean everything was. The walls were whitewashed and the floor was shiny linoleum, and Jesse felt like the mere dust from his boots was somehow infringing on the perfection of the space.

Reinhardt Wilhelm, the big silver wolf, had gone with him, a hand on his shoulder as much to keep him in line as to guide him along. He seemed perfectly content to wander through the Blackwatch pack's territory, though from what Jesse had gathered on the ride over, he was an alpha in his own right. Where his pack was, Jesse didn't know, but he was apparently part of it now. He had to assume he would find out soon enough. 

The woman inside the infirmary building was young and blonde, wearing a white lab coat emblazoned with an orange and white symbol that looked like a stylized O with a W overlaid. 

Jesse had seen similar symbols on some of the other wolves and when he'd asked, Reinhardt had explained that they used logos to distinguish themselves out of their wolf skins. Where scent would have made it clear who belonged to what pack, it wasn't always practical to run on four legs and with how much mingling there was, having some sort of strategy benefitted everyone. Blackwatch had a symbol like a the outline of a sword and it was splashed across every surface that could easily be decorated in the compound. Reinhardt's jacket had a faded picture of an eye with a jagged slash through it painted on the back, and Jesse guessed that was the sign from his pack.

The woman with the OW logo introduced herself as Angela, the doctor who was looking after the pack for the time being. Jesse got the distinct impression that she considered her mere presence an honor for the pack and wondered what exactly a girl about his own age could contribute that would be so damn valuable. 

She knew her stuff, though, and checked him over with the same weary competence that he remembered from the handful of times he'd been seen by a doctor before. She handed him a bottle of pain pills for his hip, watching him swallow a pair, then scribbled down some notes for Reinhardt before seeing them out. 

Reinhardt led Jesse across to a squat building that had his eye symbol painted on the door. The space inside was a dormitory similar to the ones Jesse had known from Deadlock, though the bunk beds were much less rickety and the blankets didn't have holes. There were two people sleeping on one of the bunks when they arrived-- a young woman who introduced herself as Linh and a slightly older one whose speech was slurred as she told Jesse her name was Olivia. 

Jesse was shocked to see that Linh had one leg that was thin and twisted, clearly misshapen since birth, and Olivia's shaky gait told him there was something different about her, too. Reinhardt greeted them with absolute joy, though, and Jesse had to keep his eyes down to avoid staring. 

Cynthia would never have let broken wolves into her pack. Even if she had acknowledged one with a problem like Linh's, it would only be to attack and, in her words, put them out of their misery. It was strange to Jesse to see Linh smiling so widely, her cheeks plump and her eyes bright, while Olivia sat on a nearby bed listening with a smile. They were clearly being taken care of here.

Reinhardt told Jesse that there were nine others who shared the space, bringing the number in the pack to thirteen including Jesse. There was a door that led into a private room for Reinhardt and one that opened up to a lounge area, but the building wasn't fancy. There were shared showers and bathrooms in a nearby building and a mess hall beyond that. 

Before they'd joined up with Morrison, Reinhardt said they'd been greater in number, three times the size, and sheltering nearly two dozen wolves who'd been abandoned by their packs because of illness or injury that left them disabled. Reinhardt had grown a reputation for accepting the strays who had nowhere else to go and, in general, his pack had been left alone by those around. The attack that decimated them had come out of the blue from another pack looking to take over the small territory Reinhardt had eked out almost singlehandedly. He'd been able to save a few, fleeing into the night with them, and had found his way to Morrison to beg for shelter and protection.

"So," Jesse asked, "What are we called?"

Reinhardt chuckled softly. "Well, it made more sense before, but we've always been known as the Champions."

They assigned Jesse a bed alongside the door, then Reinhardt shuffled him off to the showers to make him wash the grime of Deadlock off. There were individual stalls, but not much privacy beyond that and Jesse wished he'd been allowed to just go out into the woods and find a stream. His skin felt raw and pink by the time he finished scrubbing himself and Reinhardt was waiting near the exit with a change of clothes. The sweatpants had the Champion's symbol on the thigh in peeling fabric paint, and Jesse picked at it idly as they headed back. 

He met the rest of Reinhardt's pack at dinner that night in the big mess hall. He could tell that some of them had disabilities like Linh and Olivia, but for most he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. They were all eager to chat with him, introducing themselves enthusiastically, and it was strange to feel so welcomed. 

They served everyone from the same big bowl of spaghetti and Jesse ate until he thought he might be sick. Reinhardt kept pushing more meatballs onto his plate and Jesse felt a little prickle of confusion at the smile he got from the alpha as he ate his fill. In Deadlock, every scrap had always been contested, and Jesse had spent a lot of nights hungry or hunting rats. To be expected to and even tacitly praised for eating enough was entirely new, and he kept expecting someone to demand that he give something in return for the extra food.

Even with his mother, they'd been poor enough that portions were always small. Here, in the noisy dining hall, there was no need to compete for food and the voices raised were in laughter and excitement instead of anger.

Maybe Jesse would delay his escape until he had a few good meals in him. It would give him enough time to build up his strength and let his hip heal, and whatever they demanded from him could be pushed off until he could run.

After dinner, Jesse found his way back to the Champions' building. He nestled into his bunk, dragging the blanket up around him. It didn't smell familiar and instinct made him rub his face against it to get his scent all over it. The others trickled in, some in fur and some on two legs, and nobody paid him much mind.

Reinhardt appeared a few hours after dinner, finding a spot in the attached living room and flopping down. Jesse could just see through the door from where he was curled and watched as several of the pack members came up to sit near him, one smaller wolf even lying down on top of his feet. They all seemed so comfortable, sure that they'd be welcome. Jesse wondered if he'd be allowed to go over and join the pile, but dismissed the thought quickly. Reinhardt might be a man willing to take in misfits, but that didn't mean Jesse had earned his place yet.

The sounds of others sleeping and shifting nearby were familiar, but Jesse slept only in short stretches. He didn't know the scents well enough to feel safe, and even the faint sound of Reinhardt snoring in the next room wasn't enough to keep him from feeling tense and on edge. It seemed absurd that the others in the pack would just accept him without hazing or threats. He finally took another dose of pain medication, letting the sedating effect drag him into a stupor close enough to sleep to be restful.

Reinhardt rose with the dawn that crept in through the windows to light the room in pink. A handful of the pack woke, too, gathering around him with yawns and soft murmurs so as not to rouse the ones still sleeping. 

When Reinhardt saw Jesse watching them, he gestured him over. "We're going for a run in the woods, if you'd like to come."

Jesse hesitated, but it would be something different than moping in bed, so he got up and joined the little knot of Champions.

They weren't the only ones out that morning and, as he took to his fur, Jesse could pick up the scent of a few Blackwatch wolves off in the distance. The oldest of them, Andrea, took the lead as they started into the wood, her pace steady and even, and Reinhardt trotted along at the back of the group. Jesse found himself somewhere in the middle, shoulder to shoulder with a wolf named Benjamin.

It felt good to stretch his legs and settle in to the rhythm of the pack. There was no snarling or jostling for a position closer to the front or the alpha, and as they reached more open ground they sped up. Jesse kept up well despite the continued soreness in his hip, the cool morning air sharp in his lungs and his mouth wide in a pant when they finally slowed and began to circle back. He could tell that they were going a little slower than they would have otherwise out of deference to his injury, but they moved as one even so.

They took a break in a clearing about half a mile from the compound. Jesse flopped only to the ground, tongue lolling, and was surprised when Benjamin flung himself down right beside him, his ears pricked forward and friendly. Jesse gave a soft wave of his tail and heard Benjamin's thumping behind him in return.

When they got back, breakfast was available in the mess hall. It was just oatmeal with sliced bananas and brown sugar, but it was hot and filling and Jesse ate two heaping bowls. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been allowed to have a whole piece of fruit to himself without it being smashed or rotting, and he sat back in his chair when he finished, sated. No one seemed to care how much he ate, and he was eyeing another banana when Reinhardt spoke.

"I'm taking you to meet Jack Morrison today," Reinhardt told him, sipping a cup of coffee that was almost white with cream. "He wants to be introduced to the Deadlock boy."

Jesse shifted uneasily. "Is he gonna make me leave if he doesn't like me?"

Reinhardt chuckled. "He doesn't tell me who I have in my pack, my boy. I'm certain he just wants to meet you."

Nevertheless, Jesse was antsy in the hour or so after breakfast before they headed out. They took one of the Blackwatch cars and the doctor who had first seen to Jesse came with them. She was a lot more relaxed when she wasn't working, and Jesse found that she had a sly sense of humor as she and Reinhardt chatted. 

The Overwatch pack lived an hour’s drive away from Blackwatch in a single large building that looked like it might have once been offices. It was well maintained when they went inside, though, with shiny linoleum floors and a bank of elevators against one wall. The whole space had a feel of a lobby that had been deliberately turned into more of a lounge, though a receptionist's desk still squatted in one corner. Some of the squishy chairs and couches were occupied, but no one seemed particularly interested in them.

Angela split off and headed straight for the elevators while Reinhardt led Jesse over to a telephone on the desk. He placed a brief call, giving his name, and within a minute or two a man appeared to escort them to the elevators and up to the top floor. 

Jack Morrison was younger than Jesse had expected him to be, with blond hair and glasses. He wore a blue jacket and white shirt, and at first Jesse couldn't see what made him worthy of being an alpha. He was on the phone when they entered his office, speaking a language Jesse didn't immediately recognize and when he hung up a minute later his smile was distracted. 

"Jesse McCree, right?" he said, sticking out his hand to shake. "Good to have you. Are you settling in?"

His casual friendliness caught Jesse off guard and he couldn't quite shake his frown. What was Morrison playing at?

"It's fine, sir," he said, shifting to his other foot and glancing towards Reinhardt. He wasn't sure when, but his alpha's presence had become a comfort for Jesse. "Everyone has been... kind."

"We've had folks like you before," Morrison said. "From dysfunctional packs. We don't tolerate that here."

"I... see." Jesse wished he wasn't the sole focus of Morrison's gaze. "Thank you, sir."

"I know it's a lot to swallow, but just take your time. You met Angela already-- she's your age. And, uh... Ana's kid is 16 right?" Morrison glanced towards Reinhardt. 

"12, Jack. Her birthday was last month," Reinhardt replied. 

"Aw, shit, did I--?"

"Ana selected a present on your behalf. Fareeha loves her dirt bike."

Morrison shook his head, sighing, and pulled off his glasses. "It's been busy," he said, and for a second his handsome face showed all the weariness of a man twice his age. "Anyway, Blackwatch is looking after her right now so she should be around their territory."

Their eyes met, Morrison's bright blue finding Jesse's dark brown. "Don't get me wrong, McCree. If you do anything to harm anyone under my protection, I will personally hunt you down. This is the best chance you're going to get for a better life. I suggest you take it."

Jesse felt a prickle at the back of his neck. There had to be a reason Morrison was able to unite a dozen packs under his banner, and for a second Jesse got a glimpse of the strength that allowed him to do it.

"Yes, sir," Jesse said, dropping his gaze out of respect.

"Good. I think you get it, kid. Deadlock's gone now. You're ours, and that means we've got your back so long as you play by our rules." Morrison grabbed a folder off his desk, flipping it open. "Send Reyes in when you go out. He should be waiting."

Jesse ducked his head in a nod, then turned and headed towards the door. Reinhardt followed after him, and out in the hall Jesse saw Reyes sitting waiting to go in. 

"Jack said he's ready for you," Reinhardt told him, and Reyes stood. His eyes travelled over Jesse as he approached.

"The kid's too skinny," he said, slowing his step.

"I've only had a day and a half to feed him!" Reinhardt protested genially. "He's certainly having enough at meal times. You're like a _bersorgtes Huhn_!"

"I'll assume that's a compliment," Reyes said with a slight smirk. Jesse tensed, ready for the two alphas to go for each other at the hint of a slight. But, Reinhardt just laughed in return and put a hand on Jesse's shoulder. 

"Come along, my boy. I'll find you a snack somewhere," he said, turning his back on Reyes without a hint of apprehension and continuing along. 

Reinhardt made good on his promise, managing to beg a couple of bags of chips off the small crew working in the kitchen on the ground floor. He and Jesse found a spot out near the dirt parking lot that had a half-buried boulder sticking out of the dirt and sat to eat. Jesse found himself scooting closer to the Alpha than he had been before, feeling relaxed and protected instead of wary and on edge. 

The next few months passed in a rush of new experiences. Jesse found himself sleeping like the dead every night, the shifting and snoring of his packmates becoming familiar and comforting. They ran in the morning, occasionally chasing down a rabbit or squirrel just for the thrill of it and a quick meal, and one a month or so there was a big, joint hunt with Blackwatch and the Champions flowing together through the woods to flush out a deer or two and take them down. Reyes was careful to prevent overhunting the territory with so many wolves in a close space, but usually just the excitement of a chase and a small taste of the fresh meat was enough to keep everyone satisfied. 

Eating well meant that Jesse's body started to fill out in a way it hadn't since he'd hit his growth spurt during puberty. His waist thickened and his muscles turned from wiry to powerful almost overnight. Almost all his clothes had to be replaced, but the more time he spent with the pack, the more Jesse wanted to dress like them and wear the Champion's mark. There was a sense of pride in being a member of the group, and Jesse found himself going out of his way to do favors for his packmates and, astonishingly, they did the same in return without hesitation.

The weather grew colder and the Champions took to bundling in the center of their dorm room in a big pile full of warm limbs and thick blankets. Jesse liked it best when he had someone using him as a pillow, the solid pressure of another body reminding him that he had a place he belonged and people who would miss him if he weren't there. Some night, Reinhardt would join them wearing his silver fur and the whole pack would snuggle in close around his bulk.

It was safe, which was perhaps the strangest thing. Jesse didn't have to constantly watch his back and when he made a mistake he was corrected instead of punished, and Reinhardt listened to what he had to say without judgement or derision. He'd only been there for a fraction of the time he'd spent in Deadlock, but it felt so much more like home.


	3. Chapter 3

The air was cold enough that Jesse's breath left little clouds as he panted, though first snow hadn't yet fallen. The promise was there in the cloud rolling in over the horizon and he lifted his head, ears pricking up. Distantly, he could hear the howling of his packmates, and Jesse lifted his head to join in. The sound echoed through the trees, blending with the far-off song of the wolves he'd come to know deep in his heart.

The crack of twigs made him stop and turn to see a slight wolf coming through the trees towards him, her tail high and ears raised. Fareeha was a dun brown in the indirect light, darkening to black at her paws and the tips of her tail, muzzle, and ears. In the light, her coloring looked golden, but with the haze of the incoming weather she blended in to the ground around her.

Just behind her, Angela walked along. She was about the same size as Fareeha, despite being older, and her fur was sleek and white around blue eyes. Jesse trotted over to the pair of them, bumping muzzles with each in turn in greeting. Fareeha smelled like she'd caught a squirrel and Jesse felt his stomach growl. He'd been planning to join his pack's hunt until Ana had asked him to look after the girl with Angela.

Jesse took the lead back towards the camp, Angela and Fareeha trailing behind and a little to either side. It wasn't as though they were going to run into trouble, so their pace was easy and relaxed.

The first few raindrops fell as they reached the house Ana was staying in with Fareeha and they changed to their human forms quickly, rushing inside before the clouds could really start pouring. Jesse knew his dorm would smell like wet dog that night with the Champions caught out in the rain. 

Ana was standing by the little hotplate on the table, the kettle already steaming cheerfully as they took off their shoes by the door.

Fareeha trotted over to Ana, who gave her a quick kiss on the forehead as the girl said in Arabic, "Masakat sanat jabou!"

"A squirrel?" Ana asked, smiling. "You won't be hungry for dinner."

"I'm still hungry!" Fareeha said, bouncing slightly on her toes. Her mother smiled, reaching out to brush her hair behind her ear.

"Sit down, all of you," Ana said warmly, gesturing to her table. "Have some tea. It's too chilly out."

Jesse stepped in to help her distribute cups for all four of them, then settle in around the folding table. Ana had taken the one-room building and made it cozy, spreading a woven rug on the ground and stringing up curtains to separate off the sleeping area from the main room. It was only a temporary home while Ana stayed with Blackwatch before returning to Overwatch with Fareeha, but she'd made the most of it and the space was warm and comfortable. 

The tea was hot enough to scald when Jesse sipped some, but he'd learned not to appear anything less than keen on drinking it. Outside, the rain was falling harder, and Jesse was glad for a roof he could trust not to leak. Angela reached out to tug a plate of maple sandwich cookies towards her, twisting one apart. 

"Jesse," Ana said, nodding towards the plate. "You need to eat, too."

Jesse laughed, but reached for a cookie anyway. "I've already gained thirty pounds since getting here!" he pointed out, leaning back to display the soft curve of his belly. Much of the weight had gone on as muscle his body could finally build, but he'd grown softer all over and didn't shiver at night anymore. "You're going to have to roll me back to Reinhardt!"

Ana chuckled behind her teacup. "At least you don't look like you might blow away any longer, puppy."

"You should be pushing carrots on him, not cookies," Angela said. "I saw him ignoring his vegetables last night."

"Snitch," Jesse accused. Angela wrinkled her nose at him, both grinning.

The rain let up enough in the next hour or so that Jesse could make a dash across the muddy ground, hand-in-hand with Angela, to the Champion's dorm. She'd taken a spare bed there while she was staying, and they both stripped out of wet clothes to drag on something dry. They would still have to rush to the dining hall when the dinner bell rang, but for the moment things were warm. 

The next day, Angela was busy tending to one of the younger Blackwatch wolves who'd caught a nasty flu and Jesse occupied himself helping with the Champions' massive piles of laundry. It was easier to just throw it all into the big industrial washers than try to keep it separate, and most of the clothing got passed around to everyone over time anyway. 

The rain was holding off long enough for them to sort piles on the concrete patio outside the laundry, and the four who were working were gossiping cheerfully about a budding romance between a few other packmates when a shadow suddenly fell over the pile of whites that Jesse was collecting. 

He looked up at the backlit figure and it took him only a second to recognize Reyes, the Blackwatch alpha. It was impossible to read his expression with the sun behind his head, but Jesse dropped his gaze quickly to avoid seeming impertinent.

"Something we can help you with?" Benjamin asked, his voice friendly and genuine. Reinhardt and Reyes were on excellent terms and there was no reason to think he had any reason to harass them. Still, Jesse had learned the hard way not to be too friendly with alphas and kept his eyes downcast. 

"I'm here to take McCree for a bit," Reyes said, making Jesse's shoulders tense. "I'll return him in time for dinner." He paused, and, at the silence from the group before him, added, "I need a partner for a hunt."

Jesse lifted his head, frowning slightly. He couldn't fathom why Reyes would seek him out for such a task. Among the Champions he was a good hunter, sure, but many of them had reasons to lag behind so it wasn't all that much of an endorsement. Still, he couldn't exactly say no. 

The others in the pack watched him stand, brushing off the seat of his pants. He glanced at Reyes without meeting his eyes directly, "Whatever you want."

Reyes jerked his head towards the edge of the woods and they walked in silence. Jesse kept his shoulders hunched slightly, wary despite himself. The likelihood of Reyes trying to do anything to harm him was almost nonexistent, not while Jesse was under Reinhardt's protection, but some habits were too deeply ingrained to just shake.

When Reyes shifted, it looked as fluid as anything Jesse had ever seen. His paws landed on the dirt with a soft thud, and he glanced back expectantly with golden eyes. Jesse felt a little grubby standing next to him, his brown fur feeling dull next to Reyes' shiny black pelt. Reyes' ears flicked towards the woods and he started out at a relaxed lope. 

Jesse fell in just behind, keeping pace easily and quickly finding the right rhythm to trail back and a little to the side. It was easy to read which way Reyes was going, the signals passing clearly between them, and Jesse let himself rely on the alpha to pick a path through the roots and bushes. The wood smelled bright and green, the leaves beneath their paws damp enough to muffle their steps as they moved along. 

The sound of running water ahead told Jesse they were approaching a stream that was always a good place to try and take down deer. The thought made Jesse's mouth water a little. He'd missed the last hunt with the Champions, though he had no idea if Reyes knew that. In any case, it was exciting to anticipate the chase. 

As they reached the edge of the trees, Reyes slowed and hunkered down low, all but crawling on his belly. It was a surprisingly human tactic, but with just the two of them they'd need surprise to take down something like a deer. 

The edge of the water was ringed with goats instead of deer. Jesse would have smelled them if the wind was blowing the other direction, and he felt a little twinge of disappointment. Blackwatch maintained the herd in these woods, introducing new animals when it grew too thin and leaving out food in the leaner months, and it meant that hunting was a pass-time all the wolves could indulge without decimating the native fauna. Still, it was far less exciting to hunt a panicking goat than a doe. 

Reyes lifted his head slightly, nose twitching, then gave Jesse a glance. He read the line of intention in the alpha's stance, and a second later Reyes lunged forward, bursting out of the low scrub and barreling across the ground towards the herd. 

They exploded outward, bleating in terror, but Reyes was faster and Jesse had to really stretch his limbs to circle round and be of any use. He cut into the path of one brown-spotted goat that skidded to a halt, flinging itself backwards and straight towards Reyes' jaws.

It was over in a second, Reyes ripping into the animal and taking it to the ground. He held it in his jaws until it stopped twitching and Jesse circled slowly around. The smell of blood was bright and Jesse's regret at not having a deer evaporated in favor of anticipating the meal.

Reyes took the first few bites, going for the soft belly, then glanced up to invite Jesse to join him. They pressed in shoulder-to-shoulder as they tore in, Jesse's tail flagging high behind him in enjoyment. 

When they'd finally eaten their fill, Jesse dragged off one of the leg bones to chew on by the stream, lying in the sunshine and savoring the crunch and rich taste of marrow. Reyes continued to pick at the last of the carcass, then strode over to take a long drink before dunking his muzzle completely to wash off the blood.

They lounged in the sun side-by-side, digesting the meal and listening to the sounds of birds and small animals moving around the forest. At one point, a trio of Blackwatch wolves trotted by, pausing to greet their alpha. Jesse felt his eyes growing heavy. Hunting with Reyes had relaxed him and though he wasn't ready to snuggle in and groom him, he was certainly comfortable enough to rest his head on his paws as they soaked in the warmth of the afternoon.

Jesse still didn't know why Reyes had selected him for the hunt. There were plenty of Blackwatch pack members who would have jumped at the chance to run by his side. Compared to them, Jesse was just a mutt from a cobbled-together pack of misfits.

Reyes seemed to notice Jesse's glance and transformed back, sprawled on his back on the grass. "What is it?"

Jesse's ears twitched, then he slipped back into his human form with a soft exhalation. "Nothing, sir."

"You've got something to say, say it."

Sitting up cross-legged, Jesse shrugged. "I just don't know why I'm here. I appreciate it, but you got no need to be earning favors from me."

Reyes chuckled softly, reaching up to scratch his nose. He didn't seem like much of an alpha at that point. "I got my reasons. I'm interested in getting to know you better and Jack-- Morrison, he wants to know how you're holding up."

The mention of Morrison's name made Jesse frown slightly. He hadn't seen the alpha since that day they'd met back when Jesse had first arrived, but he shouldn't have been surprised to know that he had people keeping an eye on him. He was still a liability, it seemed, even now. 

"What's the verdict?" Jesse asked. 

"Verdict?" Reyes asked, lifting his head from his folded hands to look at him with a raised eyebrow. 

"Have I been good enough? Are you letting me stay?"

Reyes was quiet for a second, then snorted. "I'm many things, kid, but I am far from capable of prying you out of Reinhardt's grasp just to kick you to the curb."

Jesse looked away to hide the flush in his cheek. On some level he still feared that Reinhardt would choose loyalty to Morrison over keeping Jesse around, but Reyes certainly seemed to think otherwise. 

"There's something else," Reyes said and if Jesse were in his fur he would have flattened his ears at the tone. Reyes sat up, leaning forward slightly. "The alpha of your old pack has been seen around. She's not in our territory yet and we're keeping an eye on her, but she's dragging a couple of _perros de callejero_ with her."

Jesse's neck prickled. He'd assumed Cynthia dead and rotting and knowing she was still skulking around the edges of his life left a foul taste in his mouth. He knew he wasn't alone this time and wouldn't be expected to face her, but the fear lingered.

"Don't worry," Reyes said, as if reading Jesse's mind. "The bitch will be killed the second she tries to cross our border. She got her chance and if she wants to throw it away, that's her call." A hand came to rest on Jesse's knee. "We protect our own."

Jesse knew he should feel better at that, but he knew the cruelty Cynthia was capable of. For all her viciousness, she was clever and patient. It would only take one slip-up for her to make good on her promise to take Jesse down. 

Still, he had to trust. He didn't have an alternative. 

They headed back towards the compound as the sun tipped down towards the tops of the trees. Reyes left Jesse at the Champion's dorm, then padded off without transforming back. 

He didn't see Reyes for a few days after that, but a week or so after Reinhardt asked to meet him privately. Jesse found his way to the mess hall while it was entirely empty except for a few people sweeping in an opposite corner. Reinhardt had a cup of his milky coffee and Reyes was sitting beside him, leg crossed over his knee and coffee black. 

"Come in, have a seat!" Reinhardt boomed warmly. "Coffee?"

Jesse shook his head, taking a seat across from the two of them. Reinhardt was smiling but Reyes looked as severe as ever. 

"What's going on?" Jesse asked, glancing from one alpha to the other. "Is something wrong?"

"Quite the contrary, my boy," Reinhardt said, lifting a hand in a soothing gesture. "Gabriel and I have been talking, and he wanted to give you the opportunity to join Blackwatch."

White noise flared up in Jesse's ears for a second, heating his face. Reinhardt had promised him that he could stay, sworn that he wouldn't just get rid of him, and suddenly he was going to just hand him off to someone else? Jesse's hands tightened into fists in his lap and he looked down. 

"I thought..." he said softly, trailing off. "What did I do wrong, alpha?"

He didn't look up to see Reinhardt's face, but he could hear the concern written on it as the alpha spoke, "No, Jesse, you haven't done anything! This is an opportunity!"

Jesse's jaw clenched. He couldn't look up, even if he'd wanted to, his shoulders and neck too tense to move. 

"You don't have to," Reyes said. Jesse heard him lean forward in his chair. "You get to choose."

"If you were with Blackwatch, you'd have a future," Reinhardt said softly. "There's status that I can't give you."

"I don't want status!" Jesse snapped.

"Do not throw it away without considering it, Jesse!" Reinhardt said firmly, his voice carrying all the authority that he had over Jesse as an alpha. It made Jesse's head snap up. "You do not need the protection of the Champions. You do not need to limit yourself. With Blackwatch as your pack, you could do more. You could be more."

It was harder to backtalk when Reinhardt was staring him down and Jesse hunched slightly.

"Just think about it," Reinhard said, extending a hand to rest upright on the table. "You will always have a place with us. No choice you make can ever erase your home with our pack."

Jesse chewed his lip, then glanced towards Reyes. The Blackwatch alpha was watching him, impassive. This was probably some sort of test, just as the hunt had been. Did this offer mean he'd passed?

"I'll think about it," Jesse said softly. 

Reinhardt sighed. "Please consider your future. You won't be leaving us, you'll still be here, but with Blackwatch you could climb."

Jesse didn't know how to say that he felt like he'd reached the highest point he could aspire to, that he'd found a home that he still felt like he didn't deserve. Reinhardt wasn't wrong, Blackwatch wolves ate first and took the choicest prey. Jesse had seen them split off to form their own packs in the area, becoming alphas in their own right. But was that what he wanted? It seemed like trading away the first good thing that he'd been given was ungrateful to say the least. 

Still, Reinhardt was encouraging him to take the leap. It felt like a rejection though, and that ached.

"May I be excused?" Jesse asked, scooting his chair back a little. 

"When can I expect an answer? This is a limited time offer," Reyes said. 

Jesse swallowed. "I just need overnight. I'll tell you tomorrow morning."

Reyes seemed content with that and nodded, getting to his feet. He put a hand on Reinhardt's shoulder. "He's a good kid," he said, then strode off towards the door. 

Jesse found his way back to his bunk, dragging the covers up over his head and ignoring the greetings from his packmates. There was much to think about, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Maybe he would go to Ana or Angela for advice after dinner, but for the moment he just needed to be alone.


End file.
